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ENGL202A: WRITING IN THE SOCIAL SCIENCES
FALL 2012
Instructor: Amanda Passmore
Drop in Office Hours: T 2:30-3:30pm
TH 9:30-10:30am
Email: alp186@psu.edu (via ANGEL only)
Office: 150 Burrowes
Mailbox: 139 Burrowes
Course Description
In this course we will focus on recognizing and producing effective academic and research based writing
that will reflect a developing awareness of academic language, writing conventions, and critical inquiry as
they pertain to a specific form of research known as ethnography. Ethnography is a form of anthropology
that focuses on the critical description of human cultures. It is performed on-site and entails observation,
listening, recording, and participating in the daily life of a group of people and, is thus, Social Science
(the scientific study of human society and social relationships).
Ethnographic studies involve many different types of research and writing styles performed over a long
period of time. While our relatively short session together will not allow for the full completion of an
ethnographic research project (which may take years), we will learn about these styles by reading several
ethnographic studies and accompanying these readings with fieldwork exercises that will both facilitate
our understanding of ethnographic research and the composing of our own mini ethnographic studies of
select cultural-sites. Investigating cultural spaces through observation, critical inquiry, and extensive
reflection contributes to a deeper understanding of how human actors construct community and identity.
Together we will complete a series of written assignments that demonstrate an admirable grasp of
fluency, clarity, and correctness with regards to language, and a working knowledge of academic research
writing conventions. Ultimately, we will focus on producing engaging, reflective, and articulate texts with
an eye toward building important skills for researching social behavior. Your basic task for this course,
then, is to complete a series of written assignments that demonstrate an admirable grasp of research
writing conventions of ethnography. Hopefully by the end of the course you will have a decent awareness
of the different approaches to composing ethnographic research and a stronger sense of how culture and
community can be defined.
You will also be asked to engage in some professional writing using web-based platforms, including
blogging and creating e-portfolios, so that you will have tangible materials to showcase to potential
employers or graduate schools.
Required Text
Sunstein, B. S. & Chiseri-Strater, E. (2002). Field Working: Reading and Writing Research (4rd ed.).
Boston: Bedford/St. Martin’s. ISBN: 978-0-312-62275-6
Materials
 An 8 ½ x 11 spiral notebook
 An accordion or expanding files organizer
 A CD or jump drive to store and backup work
 Access to a computer with MS word (Mac users will have to contact ANGEL support for info on
file conversion—to pdf or rtf— and compatibility in order to upload assignments onto ANGEL)
 An active PSU account for ANGEL and library services
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Writing Tutoring Available for ENGL 202A Students
For face-to-face or online tutoring: see the Writing Community in 220 Bouke Building or call (814)8651841.
Submissions
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All electronically submitted final essays for this class are due via ANGEL Drop Box by 11:59pm
on the designated due date.
Drafts are due by the time your class meets for peer workshop (bring both a hard copy to class as
well as post to the draft drop box on ANGEL).
I will workshop your drafts, but will not give feedback on drafts not posted on time. Final graded
essays are accompanied by a grade and a global comment.
I request, for your benefit and my own, that you submit all entries to the Drop Box as
attachments; doing so secures you against potential loss of all submitted work and allows me to
open and edit your submitted attachments.
In addition, be sure that your attachment has been submitted successfully. After submission, a link with
the title you designated should appear at the bottom of the page. Click on the link. If the link opens
without error and you can see that the work you submitted is present on the page then you have submitted
your assignment as an attachment successfully. If this does not occur then you have submitted your work
incorrectly.
Please be aware that the Drop Box is timed. Work that is not submitted to the Drop Box by the
designated time will be docked late points. A letter grade is deducted for each calendar day late (before
the assignment is graded), and assignments submitted more than one week late will not be accepted and
receive a grade of zero. Work not submitted in the correct file type will not be accepted or graded;
resubmissions of incorrect file types may be subject to the late penalties above.
All papers handed in should, unless otherwise stated, follow the following format: (a) be typed in 11-12pt
font Times New Roman; (b) be double-spaced with one-inch margins on all sides; (c) have a heading in
the top left hand corner with your Name and assignment title, and (d) each essay should have an
interesting, meaningful title centered on the first line. Final drafts will be evaluated on the basis of
content, organization, vocabulary, argument structure, writing conventions, and style.
Blogs & E-portfolio
In addition to ANGEL, we will also be utilizing PSU blogs (http://blogs.psu.edu/) for both the
ethnography project and for creating professional e-portfolios (http://portfolio.psu.edu/). Please be aware
that blogs are public domains. Don’t write or post anything that you feel would compromise your
integrity as an academic or as an individual. Treat others with the same dignity and respect you expect in
turn.
Each week, you will have three blogs to complete (set up as ‘categories’ on your blog site):
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Reading Response Blog
Reflection Blog
Culture Blog
Expectations:
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 All blogs should run at least 200 words each (this means a minimum of 600 words per week… of
course, you may go over if you wish).
 You should respond to at least one other blog from a student in your blog group a week as well,
though you are welcome and even encouraged to blog back and forth more often if you wish.
Replies should run between 100-200 minimum.
 All blogs and responses are due by each Tuesday’s class.
Because the nature of web programs, I would strongly recommend writing all your blogs in MS Word and
then copying and pasting the writing into the blog platform so you always have a back up file. Please see
detailed blog assignment descriptions posted on ANGEL and pay attention to the course schedule which
will often include blog prompts.
You will also be putting together a profession e-portfolio which will include:
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resume
personal statement
Other sections you may want to include are: relevant research and papers, blogs, work experience,
education, awards and honors, multimedia, etc. when considering page layout. Please see assignment
description on ANGEL.
For a more detailed description for blogging and e-portfolios, please refer to the assignment description
sheet.
Attendance
University policy requires that you attend every class. The University attendance policy (Policies and
Rules, 42-27): “A student whose absences are excessive may run the risk of receiving a lower grade or a
failing grade, whether or not some of those absences are excused.” Please note that I do not distinguish
between excused and unexcused absences. If you contract a major illness or have some other significant
problem which interferes with your attendance, please notify me and we will discuss it. Extensions are
only considered under extreme extenuating circumstances (major illness, death in the family, personal
injury, etc). If prior arrangements are not made, with my approval, you will not be accommodated. If you
miss a class it is your responsibility to get assignments, complete work, and submit papers. Being
excessively late (15 minutes or more) for class may also count as an absence if a pattern ensues.
Students are expected to complete and submit all work on time, whether they are absent or not.
ANGEL and PSU blogs are available 24/7 and directions are always posted on ANGEL or in the
course schedule. I recommend finding a “buddy” to contact in case of absence.
Participation
Participation will be based upon regular attendance, in class discussions, completing blogs thoroughly and
on time, engaging in peer workshop sessions, and completing homework assignments and readings. It is
in your best interest to participate often and enthusiastically in class. The more of you that speak up, the
more interesting the classroom dynamic will become. Participation requires that you are in class to
receive points for peer workshops. Peer workshops cannot be made up. Each missed workshop = an
automatic 5 points deducted from the overall participation score.
Class Cancellations
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I will notify all students via ANGEL mail/announcement if I cannot make class due to inclement weather
or illness. Please check your ANGEL mail regularly before each class.
Plagiarism and Ethics
You must do your own original work in English 202A and appropriately identify that portion of your
work which is collaborative with others, or borrowed from others, or which is your own work from other
contexts. Whenever you quote passages or use ideas from others, you are legally and ethically obliged to
acknowledge that use following appropriate conventions for documenting sources. To borrow someone
else’s work without acknowledging that use is an act of academic as well as professional dishonesty,
whether you borrow an entire report, a single sentence or an original idea. If you have doubts about
whether or not your use of your own or other’s writing is plagiarism, please come to see me and I will be
happy to discuss it with you. Follow this primary principle: be up front and honest about what you are
doing and about what you have contributed to a project. Any act of plagiarism will result in an F for this
course and may lead to disciplinary action by Penn State University. Please familiarize yourself with the
university’s policy on plagiarism as well as ways to avoid it:
http://tlt.its.psu.edu/suggestions/cyberplag/cyberplagstudent.html
Course Assignments
There are six major writing assignments in this course:
1. Research Proposal: The Research Proposal asks you to pick a local subculture and a field site
for the semester long ethnographic research project and to assess the feasibility of working
around this subculture. You must pick a site in your local area that you can access easily because
you will need to visit this site once a week over the course of the semester. You also must pick
the site where the people of the subculture you wish to study will give you permission to hang
around, take pictures, conduct interviews, make observations, etc. You must visit your field site
and/or talk to them on the phone before you finish your proposal.
2. Field Notes: You will take Field Notes every time you visit your field site. It is critical that you
record objective facts and details as well as your reactions, thoughts, and responses to these facts.
You should develop a system of field notes that is comfortable for you and easy for you to work
with. It is important that you sit down with your notes after each visit to your site for 20-30
minutes. In this time, you should read through the observations you have made, add reflections
when ideas occur to you, and make sure you (and your instructor and group members) will be
able to read your notes in the future. You will need to turn in your notes three times during the
semester.
3. Observation Paper: The Observation Paper asks you to observe your subculture and field site
closely and write about one or two visits based on your field notes. In this paper, you will develop
the descriptive and reflective style of writing that you will need to create the final ethnographic
essay. I'd like to see you take this opportunity to develop an engaging and lively writing style
through the use of the first person ("I," "me"), vivid details, original metaphors, and reflection on
your field site and subculture.
4. Interview Paper: The Interview Paper asks you to interview a few key informants and report
what they have said about your subculture. The interview paper allows you to gain an insider's
perspective on your field site and subculture. Your interviewee has insight about your subculture,
and you give it order by identifying themes and issues and by unifying the information you
collect into a fine piece of writing. This writing needs to embody the feeling of the interview—
the sense of place and of the person you have interviewed.
5. Literature Review: The Literature Review paper asks you to look for four pieces of publicly
available published material related to your subculture. You will summarize each of them wholly
or selectively. The published materials may be articles in journals, magazines, or newspapers, or
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material from websites. Locate four publications you think will give you information that will be
helpful in your final ethnographic report. You should conclude the paper by discussing new
knowledge that you have gained from the literature pieces and how the new knowledge has
informed you about the next step of your research. You must use APA style
documentation/citation.
6. Ethnographic Essay: The Ethnographic Essay asks you to synthesize all of your hard work into
a fine piece of writing. Unfortunately you will not be able to include every bit of information you
have collected through observation, reflection, interview, and library research; you will have to be
selective. You will have to give your readers a comprehensive view of your field site, and you'll
need to choose information that develops the angle that you are taking on your subculture by
triangulating data.
Specific directions in the form of assignment sheets, peer review sheets, and examples of previous
students' work for each of the major writing assignments will be provided on our class ANGEL page.
Rubrics
Blogs:
3— Excellent job. The writing shows a mastery of the idea and/or prompt; the writing is detailed and
stylistically well done, and contains no grammatical or mechanical errors.
2— Good job. The writing shows the writer grasps the concept or prompts. The writing is good but
could be stylistically more sophisticated and/or detailed. Contains little to no grammatical or
mechanical errors.
1— Average job. The writing shows some understanding of the concept/exercise, but there are parts
missing or the assignment wasn’t done to the specifications of the prompt. There may be some
grammatical or mechanical errors present. The writing lacks style and detail or is too generalized.
0— Unsatisfactory. Failed to grasp the concept/ prompt. The writing is minimal or the assignment
was not completed or completed on time. There may be excessive grammatical or mechanical errors.
Blogs will not be accepted after 3 calendar days, and may receive an “o” as these assignments are subject
to the same grading policies outlined in the “submissions” section of the syllabus. Your blogs will receive
a total possible 3 points overall, so be sure all three blogs are done thoroughly and thoughtfully.
Field Notes:
10—Outstanding. Evidence of double entry style; detailed; balance of subjective and objective;
supplemented with other “mediums” from assignment description sheet; meets page length.
Above and beyond bare-bones requirements.
9— Excellent. Evidence of double entry style; detailed; balance of subjective and objective;
supplemented with other “mediums” from assignment description sheet. Meets page length.
8— Good work. Evidence of double entry style; detailed; balance of subjective and objective.
meets page length.
7— Adequate. Some evidence of double entry style. Could be more detailed and balanced. Meets
page length.
6— Adequate, but under page length.
5— Below average. Doesn’t meet page length; notes are below expectations.
4— Unsatisfactory. Doesn’t meet page length. Notes are well below expectations of assignment
description.
3-below— usually due to late submissions.
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Papers out of 20 points:
20—Above and beyond expectations. Stylistically outstanding.
19—Excellent work. Stylistically very well written.
18—Good work. Stylistically good.
17— Good work. Stylistically average.
16— Average work. Stylistically average.
15— Adequate work. Meets the bare-bones requirements. Stylistically below average.
14— Below average work. Stylistically, not there.
13— Inadequate work. Stylistically, not there. Below page length.
12— Unsatisfactory work. Stylistically, not there. Below page length.
11-below— Unsatisfactory work & late points. Stylistically, not there. Below page length.
These essay rubrics are general. For specific information on what is expected of each essay, please read
over the assignment description sheets posted on ANGEL. You may also take a look at the English
Grading Standards posted under the “links” folder on ANGEL. A separate rubric for the final
ethnographic essay, worth 40 points, will be posted on ANGEL at the end of the semester.
Grading
Your final grade will be calculated based on your total earning of a possible 250 points, as shown in the
following table:
Assignment
Points
Research Proposal
(3-4 pages)
20
Field Notes
(3 sets @ 10 points/set)
30
Observation Paper
(4-5 pages)
20
Interview Paper
(4-5 pages)
20
Literature Review
(4-5 pages)
20
Ethnographic Essay
(10-15 pages)
40
Blogs
40
(200 word min. each; 13 weeks x 3 possible pts. + one bonus)
E-portfolio (15pts. each for resume and personal statement,
plus 10 points for layout and organization)
40
Participation
20
Total Points
250
Reading & Writing Assignment Schedule
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Please have all readings well annotated and present in class for reference during discussions. All reading
and writing assignments are due in class on the day they are specified on the syllabus; remember to
also post essays into the appropriate drop boxes on ANGEL by 11:59pm unless otherwise stated.
FW stands for the textbook, FieldWorking. Pay attention to other required reading of handouts posted on
ANGEL (handouts will be located under the corresponding lesson folder for each major assignment).
Week One
T 8/28
TH 8/30
Introductions to the course
Homework: buy your course textbook by the end of this week and read your syllabus;
Request blog space from http://blogs.psu.edu
Cultures vs. subcultures; brainstorming subcultures/field sites
Research Proposal Sheet and Consent Form (please read copy posted on ANGEL)
Homework: narrow down to one subculture you want to study from brainstorm list; I
suggest that, by next week, you visit a specific location linked to that
subculture and then make arrangements with someone in a position of
authority to speak about the possibility of observing and writing on that
group/location sometime next week. Try to get written consent as soon as
possible (an email or the consent form found on ANGEL will suffice). Do
not procrastinate!
“The Uniqueness of My Community” writing sample (dropbox on ANGEL)
Week Two
T 9/4
FW 1-13 “Stepping In and Out” & 14-23 “Ethnographic vs. Journalistic”
Homework: Complete Box 3 on p. 18-22—(bring to class)
“Research Topic” one paragraph about research topic (dropbox on ANGEL)
Note: you must receive permission from me to move forward with your
study before you turn in your final proposal and consent form.
TH 9/6
Intro to blogs…meeting location TBA
Homework: work on this week’s first set of blogs.
For the reading response blog, respond to last class’s discussion on Box 3…
what have you learned about ethnographic writing?
Please upload the link to your blog space in the dropbox on ANGEL by
11:59pm tonight! I will assign blog groups this weekend and will email
you the blog members’ names and blog links by Sunday evening so you
are able to post your responses.
Week Three
T 9/11
FW 23 “Friday Night at Iowa” & 40-52 “Considering Voice”
In class exercise on stepping in and stepping out: Box 2 on p. 13
Due: First set of blogs (please see assignment description on ANGEL)
TH 9/13
Due: Research Proposal Draft— bring a hard copy to class for peer review; also, be
sure to post your draft to the drop box on ANGEL, by time class meets, if you want draft
feedback from me. Note: copies of all peer review sheets can be found on ANGEL under
the corresponding lesson title (e.g. “Research Proposal”).
Homework: Field Notes Sheet (please read copy posted on ANGEL); begin visiting your
site and working on first set of field notes.
Work on this week’s blogs.
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Week Four
T 9/18
Due: Research Proposal Final Draft & Consent Form—post to drop box on ANGEL
by 11:59pm (note: final drafts will not be graded unless accompanied by consent form)
Due: Second set of blogs
Intro to the e-portfolio.
Discussion on resumes and audience.
TH 9/20
FW 55-65 “Writing Self, Writing Cultures” & 124-137 “The Cultural Artifact”
& 166--187 “Spatial Gaze”
Bring in a photo of a “cultural artifact” from your subculture (or the object if small)
In-class exercise, “Writing a Verbal Snapshot” (box 17)
Observation Paper Sheet (read copy on ANGEL)
Homework: Work on this week’s blogs
As you continue your study, pay close attention to any prior biases, assumptions,
knowledge, etc. that you have about the site and/or the subculture and how those things
might influence how and what you see/don’t see for the reflection blog.
Week Five
T 9/25
Due: Third set of blogs
FW 111-117 “Reading and Writing About Yourself” & FW 192-198 “Learning how to
Look” & “Galton in Africa” handout on ANGEL
Discussion on stereotypes.
In class video on Goth subculture.
Homework: draft your resume.
Read the “Observation Pointers” handout on ANGEL (found under the
Observation Paper lesson folder)
TH 9/27
Due: Draft of Resume for peer workshop (remember to post in Dropbox on ANGEL
by the time your class meets, if you want feedback from me)
Continued video on Goth subculture if necessary.
Homework: begin drafting your observation paper draft for Tuesday
After visiting your field site this week, use box 18 on p. 187 as a way of
taking a closer look at a specific focal point for your culture blog.
Week Six
T 10/2
Due: Observation Paper Draft— bring a hard copy to class for peer review along with
enough copies of the peer review sheet for each member of your workshop group; also,
be sure to post your draft to the drop box on ANGEL, on time, if you want draft feedback
from me.
Due: Fourth set of blogs
TH 10/4
In-class exercise, “Field Notes Analysis”—(bring field notes to class)
Homework: Work on this week’s blogs.
Consider frustrations and challenges in your Fieldwork for the reflection
blog. I would like all of your mandatory blog responses to peers to be
reactions to the reflection blog this week.
Week Seven
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T 10/9
Due: Observation Paper Final Draft & Field Notes I—post to drop boxes on
ANGEL by 11:59pm (note: all field notes drop boxes are under the lesson titled “field
notes”)
Due: Fifth set of blogs.
FW 219-233 “The Collaborative Listener”
In class video on interviewing.
Homework: Read the Interview Paper sheet (copy on ANGEL)
TH 10/11
Due: Final draft of your resume (post to dropbox on ANGEL; upload to your
e-portfolio if you wish, or begin creating new tabs/categories for items within
the resume… for instance, maybe tabs for education, work experience, awards, etc.)
FW Chapter 6 “The Cultural Translator”
In class exercise: Brainstorm possible interview questions
Homework: work on this week’s blogs.
In this week’s visit to your field site, try to gather some sort of “oral history”
such as the prompt from Box 29 on p. 295, “Verbal Performance” asks you
to do…maybe an insider joke, story, or reaction to some literature
connected to the group (for instance, maybe they have a code of conduct or
mission statement… ask an informant what that “cultural artifact” means
to them or to the group). Use this exercise for the culture blog.
Week Eight
T 10/16
Due: Sixth set of blogs
Intro and Workshop on Personal Statements
Homework: “Cultural Terms” Box 27 on p. 279 (bring a copy to Thursday’s class)
Begin working on your personal statement.
TH 10/18
In class exercise: In the spirit of “Cheek” (p. 276) write a paragraph on how one of your
cultural terms offers insight into the culture of your subculture group.
Homework: This week, be sure to interview at least one informant, if you haven’t done so
already and begin drafting your interview paper.
Work on this week’sblogs.
You may post today’s exercise on a cultural term to the culture blog if you
want. Complete Box 26, on p. 247 for your reflection blog.
Week Nine
T 10/23
Due: Interview Paper Draft— bring a hard copy to class for peer review; also, be sure
to post your draft to the drop box on ANGEL, on time, if you want draft feedback from
me.
Due: Seventh set of blogs.
Homework: please read the literature review sheet (copy on ANGEL)
TH 10/25
Library Instruction Day: Research Databases: location to be announced
Homework: work on this week’s blogs.
For this week’s reading response blog, please post three “big” questions
(e.g. some global issue or deeper context surrounding the subculture)that
you are interested in exploring further in the lit review. Write brief
explanations about why these questions intrigue you.
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Week Ten
T 10/30
Due: Interview Paper Final Draft & Field Notes II—post to drop boxes on ANGEL
by 11:59pm (note: remember to place field notes under the drop box in the “field
notes” lesson folder).
Due: Eighth set of blogs.
Read “Quoting, Paraphrasing, and Summarizing” handout on ANGEL
140-163 “Published and Unpublished Sources” & 401- 408 “APA Documentation
Guidelines”
In class activities: APA style review & In-class writing: Connecting your field notes to
the lit review (bring in field notes)—what surprised me, intrigued me, and disturbed me?
TH 11/1
Due: Draft of Personal Statement – bring a hard copy to class for peer review; also, be
sure to post your draft to the drop box on ANGEL, on time, if you want draft feedback
from me.
Sign-up for optional conferences Tuesay.
Homework: Work on this week’s blogs.
For this week’s reading response blog, please post a tentative annotated
bibliography of your literature review sources using APA style references
page citations with a brief synopsis of what the source is about, including
it’s thesis and key points, for each of the four sources. Although you may
choose your own topic for the reflection blog, you might consider reflecting
on one of your four sources in anticipation of the draft.
Week Eleven
T 11/6
Due: Ninth set of blogs.
Due: Final Draft personal statement (post to drop box on ANGEL by 11:59pm
&upload to your e-portfolio sometime this week).
Optional conferences in my office, 150 Burrowes. Conferences are not mandatory. If
you do not wish to sign up, please continue working on your lit review. There will be no
class meeting today.
TH 11/8
No class meeting— I will be out of state with Rince na Leon this Wed thru Mon.
Homework: work on this week’s blogs.
For this week’s reading response blog, please write a paragraph on how
you plan to organize and lay out your e-portfolio and why. Consider the
following questions: who is my potential audience? how would I rank, in
level of importance, my tabs/categories? what do my choices of media,
colors and template reveal about my personality?For this week’s mandatory
responses, please reflect on your peers’ choices.
Week Twelve
T 11/13
Due: Literature Review Draft— bring a hard copy to class for peer review; also, be
sure to post your draft to the drop box on ANGEL, on time, if you want draft feedback
from me.
Due: Tenth set of blogs.
TH 11/15
FW 194-197 “Identifying Unity and Tension”
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In class activity: responding to text… cultures as text and texts as culture (please bring
your draft back with you and any print-outs of the sources used for your lit review, as
well as field notes… we’ll explore how you can start triangulating your sources to your
subculture).
Homework: work on this week’s blogs.
As you continue to observe and visit your subculture, be thinking of
identifying tensions (sometimes what doesn’t seem to fit can lead to insight
about the culture). Write about these tensions in your reflection blog. What
do you think they mean/say about your subculture? About your own
conclusions you have made thus far?
Read the Ethnographic Essay Assignment Description Sheet on ANGEL.
FALL BREAK! No classes the week of Nov. 19th.
Week Thirteen
T 11/27
Due: Literature Review Final Draft—post to drop box on ANGEL by 11:59pm
Due: Eleventh set of blogs.
FW 353-357 “From Down Draft to Up Draft”
In class discussion: “Possible Sections for the Ethnographic Essay”
Sign-up for optional conferences.
TH 11/29
Due: Finalized E-portfolio (upload link to your page in the ANGEL dropbox by
11:59pm) Note: you might want to create a link out to your ethnographic project blog
space if you included a tab/category for “relevant research” or “academic papers”. You
also might want to write “work in progress” as your paper isn’t yet finished.
Optional Conferences: in my office, 150 Burrowes… students can sign
up to discuss issues/concerns with their fieldwork or to discuss possible sections for their
ethnographic paper, etc. If you do not wish to sign up, please use this time to think of
questions/concerns you may want to explore in the final ethnography and/or possible
sections.
Homework: work on this week’s blogs and Ethnographic essay draft.
For this week’s culture blog, find some form of multi-media to comment on
that you feel has something to do with your subculture, either literally, or
touches on some important issue surrounding the group’s culture: maybe a
website, a YouTube video, a documentary, a Facebook page, a photo, etc.
Week Fourteen
T 12/4
Due: Ethnographic Essay Draft— bring a hard copy to class for peer review; also, be
sure to post your draft to the drop box on ANGEL, on time, if you want draft feedback
from me.
Due: Twelfth set of blogs.
TH 12/6
FW 361-379 “Thickening Your Draft” & 381-383 “Revising for a Reader”
In-class exercise & discussion: considering a position, "What's going on here?" "Where is
the culture?" and "What's the story?" (bring your field notes and/or final papers up to this
point)
In-class exercise, “Thickening Your Draft”(bring a copy of your draft with you for
reference)
Sign-up for optional conferences.
Homework: Review Ethnographic Essay assignment sheet.
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Work on your last set of blogs.
You will probably want to use this week as your last potential visit to your
field site. Wrap-up any loose ends and think of ways to triangulate and
synthesize all your data.
Week Fifteen
T 12/11
Due: Field Notes III—post to drop box on ANGEL by 11:59pm
Due: Thirteenth Set of Blogs & “Final Reflection” due via ANGEL dropbox (1 pt.)
Optional conferences: in my office, 150 Burrowes… students can sign up to discuss
issues/concerns with their fieldwork or to discuss possible sections for their final
ethnography. If you do not wish to sign up, please use this time to continue working on
your final ethnography.
TH 12/14
Final Ethnographic Essay is due by the time your class
meets today via ANGEL dropbox. Late essays will not be
accepted after this deadline—no exceptions! Ethnographies
not submitted on time will receive a grade of zero and will
result in failure of the course.